Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yellow Spokane’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yellow Spokane’, characterized by its large decorative quilled-type inflorescences that are about 8.3 cm in diameter; attractive yellow ray florets; freely flowering; early flowering, response time is about 52 days; dark green foliage; strong stems; and good postproduction longevity with inflorescences maintaining good substance and color for about three weeks in an interior environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora andreferred to by the cultivar name Yellow Spokane.

The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a mutation induction breedingprogram conducted by the Inventor in Fort Myers, Fla., and Salinas,Calif. The objective of the program is to create new Chrysanthemumcultivars with desirable inflorescences form and floret colors, goodsubstance, and good postproduction longevity.

The new Chrysanthemum originated by exposing uprooted cuttings of theChrysanthemum cultivar Spokane, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,604,to X-ray radiation at a level of 2,000 rads on Aug. 3, 1995, in FortMyers, Fla. Following the radiation treatment, the cuttings were rootedand terminal apices were removed (pinched) three times to promotelateral branch development. After lateral branches from the third pinchreached sufficient size, terminal cuttings were harvested, planted andflowered in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif. The newChrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant within this population in March, 1996. The selection ofthis plant was based on its desirable inflorescence form and floretcolors and good postproduction longevity.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal cuttings takenin a controlled environment in Alva, Fla., has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Yellow Spokane has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Yellow Spokane’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Yellow Spokane’ as a new and distinctcultivar:

1. Large quilled decorative-type inflorescences that are about 8.3 cm indiameter.

2. Attractive yellow ray florets.

3. Freely flowering.

4. Early flowering, response time is about 52 days.

5. Dark green foliage.

6. Strong stems.

7. Good postproduction longevity with inflorescences maintaining goodsubstance and color for about three weeks in an interior environment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Chrysanthemum, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering stem of ‘Yellow Spokane’ grown as a spray-type cutChrysanthemum.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a top perspective view oftypical inflorescences of the cultivar Yellow Spokane.

The photograph at the top of the third sheet comprises a close-up viewof upper and lower surfaces of typical inflorescences of the cultivarYellow Spokane.

The photograph at the bottom of the third sheet comprises a close-upview of typical young and mature leaves of the cultivar Yellow Spokane.Floret and foliage colors in the photographs may differ from the actualcolors due to light reflectance.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe plants grown in Salinas, Calif., underconditions which approximate commercial practice in a double-layerpolyethylene-covered greenhouse. Two-week old rooted cuttings wereplanted on Feb. 4, 1999 and received 14 long day/short nights followedby short day/long nights until flowering. Plants were grown assingle-stem cut Chrysanthemums. During the production time, thefollowing environmental conditions were measured: day temperaturesranging from 18 to 27° C.; night temperatures ranging from 16 to 18° C.;and light level of about 2,000 to 4,000 foot-candles. Measurements andnumerical values represent averages for six to ten typical floweringstems.

Botanical classification: Dendranthema grandiflora cultivar YellowSpokane.

Commercial classification: Decorative quilled spray-type cutChrysanthemum with tubular ray florets.

Parentage: Induced mutation of Dendranthema grandiflora cultivarSpokane, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,604.

Propagation:

Type.—Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to rooting.—Seven to ten days with soil temperatures of 21° C.

Rooting habit.—Fine, fibrous and well-branched.

Plant description:

Appearance.—Perennial herbaceous decorative quilled spray-type cutflower. Stems upright, uniform habit and freely branching.

Flowering stem length.—About 68.5 cm.

Stem color.—144A.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate. Length: About 9.6 cm.Width: About 6.1 cm. Apex: Mucronate. Base: Truncate to attenuate.Margin: Palmately lobed. Texture: Upper and lower surfaces slightlypubescent. Veins prominent on lower surface. Color: Young and maturefoliage upper surface: 147A. Young and mature foliage lower surface:147B. Venation upper surface: 147B. Venation lower surface: 147C.Petiole: Length: About 3.1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Color: Upper, 147C;lower, 147C; margins, 147A.

Flowering description:

Appearance.—Decorative quill spray-type inflorescence form withoblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals, arisingfrom leaf axils. Disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on acapitulum.

Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flowers in theautumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other times of the year,inflorescence initiation and development can be induced under shortday/long night conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness). Plantsexposed to two weeks of long day/short night conditions after plantingfollowed by photoinductive short day/long night conditions flower about52 days later.

Postproduction longevity.—In an interior environment, flowering stemswill maintain good color and substance for about three weeks in aninterior environment after one week of cool storage.

Quantity of inflorescences.—About 12 inflorescences per flowering stem.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 8.3 cm. Depth (height): About 2.5cm. Diameter of disc: No disc florets observed. Diameter of receptacle:About 7 mm.

Ray florets.—Shape: Tubular, quilled. Length: About 4.7 cm. Width:Narrow, about 3 mm. Apex: Acute to dentate. Base: Fused. Margin:Tubular. Texture: Very smooth, glabrous; durable. Aspect: Initiallyupright, then perpendicular to peduncle; incurved. Number of ray floretsper inflorescence: Numerous, full inflorescences, typically more than200. Color: When opening: Apex, 7A; base, 5A to 4A-4B. Mature, tube:Apex, 7A; midsection and base, 4C to mostly 4D. Mature, throat: 7A to 5Ato 4A.

Peduncle.—Aspect: Strong, angled about 55° to the stem. Length: Firstpeduncle: About 6.6 cm. Third peduncle: About 12 cm. Seventh peduncle:About 15.3 cm. Texture: Very fine pubescence. Color: 144A.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: None, no disc florets observed.Gynoecium: Present on ray florets.

Disease resistance: Resistance to diseases common to Chrysanthemums hasnot been observed on plants grown under commercial conditions.

Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have demonstratedgood tolerance to temperatures as low as 5° C.

Seed production: Seed production has not been observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plantnamed ‘Yellow Spokane’, as illustrated and described.